Frayed Ends
by Aerys Krystie
Summary: Kazuki has to keep the Prince of Terror under control. The only problem is, Akabane wants to play with him. Akabane/Kazuki yaoi.


**~Frayed Ends~**

 **Author:** Aerys Krystie

 **Theme:** AU

 **Plot:** Kazuki's gentleness belies a deadly secret. Naturally, when the Prince of Terror wants to wreak some havoc, Kazuki finds that only person understands him. It isn't someone that he wants to be seen with, though.

 **Warnings:** Violence, slight language, OOC, yaoi. Ignorance, as I have not read the manga and can only go based on what I've seen in the anime. I'm likely to get a lot wrong about the Beltline, so I apologize in advance.

 **Disclaimer:** Everything of and referring to GetBackers is not mine. This is a non-profit, fan-made story. Please support the official release.

oOo

The air was cool, which was welcomed after the terrible heat of the day. The streets were nearly empty at that early hour of the morning. That wasn't too much of a problem for Fuuchouin Kazuki. He was enjoying the quietness and the chilly air, which seemed to seep through his clothing. He paused for a moment and closed his eyes.

He really did detest being out that late. However, when a job wanted him to know everything before going in, then he was happy to run on less sleep for the next day. What he didn't want, though, was for someone to stalk him. He had sensed the other person since he left the train station. He had no idea why someone would send a profession to tail him.

Kazuki shook his head, trying to keep his mind on the mansion that he had just checked out. Granted, he couldn't tell much from looking at the place, but the owner had smartly taken the only blueprints and locked them away in said mansion. Kazuki had to break in, in order to retrieve them so he could tell Ban and Ginji what to expect when it came to the building's security system.

Sure, Kazuki could retrieve whatever they were after while he inside, as well. Unfortunately, he didn't know what they were looking for and he didn't want to take Ban and Ginji in with him. Kazuki was a great thief, when he was alone. However, if he had to worry about other people, then he would make silly mistakes. He knew he didn't have to worry about the GetBackers. They were professionals, but it was still something he did out of habit.

With a sigh, Kazuki casually glanced over his shoulder, pretending to brush some lint from his shirt. He looked up the street and couldn't see anyone out of the ordinary. Of course, that was to be expected. The person following him was a professional. Whoever it was knew how to cover their aura and pretend that they weren't following someone. It truly was a remarkable talent.

Kazuki continued walking, wondering if he should have broken into the mansion that night. He knew that Ban was going to be rather upset with him when he revealed that he didn't have all the details. It was something the Jagan master would have to deal with, though. Kazuki was good, but he couldn't make miracles happen.

He bit his lower lip. Maybe it wasn't too late to head back and complete that part of his job. From the outside, he saw guards and keypads on the doors. He was thankful to know that the keypads didn't include a fingerprint. He just needed to know the correct sequence without being caught by the patrol, which went around every fifteen seconds. It was odd that a mansion had better security than most banks.

Kazuki exhaled and turned around abruptly. He blinked as he nearly collided with someone, cursing the lack of sleep. He stared at the person, apologized and moved to the side. He scratched his arm, which felt as though a bug had bitten it. He looked at the skin and saw that it wasn't a bug bite, it was a needle mark.

He turned to the person he nearly bumped into, glaring at their back. They walked on without any hint of drugging him. At least, that was what Kazuki was hoping for. He really didn't want to be poisoned by some random person. The person rounded the corner and disappeared. Kazuki knew who was following him, since the feeling seemed to have disappeared.

Kazuki suppressed a yawn and stumbled over to an alley. He did not want to pass out in the streets, but he knew he had no hope in hell of making it back to his apartment or hailing a cab. The drug was adding to his already tired state and sleeping in an alley was a lot safer than dropping in the street. That was his drug-induced reasoning and he was sticking to it.

Once in the alley, Kazuki collapsed against a wall. He was certain that he had jarred his shoulder, but at that moment, he couldn't feel it and he didn't care. He wandered down, until he was certain he was out of the view of the law. The last thing he wanted was to wake up in a holding cell. Stupidly enough, he knew he would feel bad for leaving Ban and Ginji hanging. They would be in the Honky Tonk waiting for him to show up with their information.

Groaning, Kazuki stumbled. He knew it was fruitless to try and keep his grace or dignity. He was falling asleep faster than he was walking. A cat ran past him, stopping briefly to stare at him. A light was turned on in the alley and Kazuki winced, holding up a hand to shield his eyes at the brightness. It was like looking directly into the sun. The cat hissed and ran off. The light remained on and a door opened, a worker walking out and lighting a cigarette.

The man called out to him. Before Kazuki could reply, another voice answered for him. He recognized the voice and wondered why the hell that person was in the alley. Kazuki looked over his shoulder, curiosity getting the better of him. He had to make sure it was the voice he recognized. Of course, with his current state, he could easily blame the drugs in his system.

"She doesn't look too good," the worker stated, nodding his head in Kazuki's direction.

"She will be fine. I just need to get her home, so she can sleep it off."

Kazuki's eyes widened. The person was seriously making him out to be a girl that drunk too much? The worker, however, didn't seem convinced. He said he would call a cab, but even Kazuki could tell he was lying. The unmistakable J was made on the worker's back and he died. Kazuki knew he had no hope in hell of defending himself. Not in his current state.

"I really do detest it when people lie. There is no need for it."

Akabane stepped closer and Kazuki shuffled back two. "What are you doing here?"

Through his hazy vision, Kazuki could make that Akabane was smiling. "Why, I saw you stumble up here and figured I would see what is happening," Akabane replied smoothly, as though it was something he did on a regular basis.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Akabane moved before Kazuki even knew what was happening. The Jackal appeared in front of him, taking hold of his jaw rather tightly. He stared into Kazuki's eyes. "Hm," he said softly and stepped back. "Your words are slurred and your pupils are dilated. If I didn't know any better, I would say you have been drugged."

Kazuki knew what he was like when he was tired. He loved his sleep and usually went to bed early so he could get as much sleep as possible. Sleep was his drug. There were days when he couldn't get enough of it and heaven forbid if someone woke him up, emergency or not. When he was tired, as he was at that moment, he was also quite bitchy and rather rude, regardless of who he was talking; regardless if that person could murder him.

"Oh, no! Really?" Kazuki asked, his words dripping with sarcasm. "I never would have guessed!"

Akabane lost his smile as he studied Kazuki. "Should I take that response as you declining my generous offer to take you home, before your friend returns to slit your throat?"

"I would like to see him try," Kazuki stated, his eyes flashing.

Akabane's smile returned and dipped his head. "Well, then," he muttered. "I shall bid you good night."

Kazuki turned his back on Akabane and straightened from the wall. The anger seemed to have woken him up. He waited until Akabane had left the alley, before he exited as well. The last thing he needed was for someone to see him around the dead body of the worker. He heard the shoes of the man that drugged him coming back. He would have to thank Akabane for alerting him to that fact.

The man turned up the alley, clearly expecting to see Kazuki passed out. Instead, Kazuki removed a bell and tied the man's wrists and ankles together. Before he could fall over, Kazuki pushed him against a wall, turning the man's head to the side. He could feel himself starting to fall to that deadly place in his mind. Considering he had been tailed and drugged, Kazuki wasn't entirely sure if that was a bad thing.

"Who do you work for?" Kazuki demanded, pulling the hand with the bell back.

"I don't know what you mean!" the man stated.

 _He is a professional. He will not talk,_ a strangely deeper version of his voice whispered in his mind. _It would be pointless to question him; he will not tell you anything._ Kazuki could see the logic in that, but he was not going to flat out murder someone because they refused to answer him. He was calmer than that and a little more human than the Jackal.

Kazuki turned the man's head and showed the needle prick. "Then perhaps you can explain how that happened after I bumped into you?"

"I'm on my way home. I was taking this alley as a shortcut! Please, don't hurt me!"

Kazuki watched as the man started to cry. He was seriously beginning to think that he had the wrong person. His mind whispered for him to check the man's possessions, just to make sure he wasn't carrying anything that could incriminate him. Kazuki did that, feeling a knife in the back of the man's belt. Didn't Akabane say the man would slit his throat? As far as Kazuki knew, it wasn't fashionable to wear a hunting knife like a belt.

"A little over-armed, aren't we?"

Kazuki recognized the voice that slipped from his mouth. His other half wanted to take control and make the man talk, using any means necessary. With all things considered, Kazuki found himself wanting to step back and let the Prince of Terror do what he does best. The only problem was, they were inside Infinity Fortress, so he could not justify torturing a man.

The man stopped crying and Kazuki glimpsed an underlying hardness in the eyes that he hadn't noticed earlier. The man had another knife, as the threads were cut and he swung at Kazuki, who jumped back quickly. The man used the seconds wisely, as he cut the strings around his ankles and turned to face Kazuki fully. He was smirking in what Kazuki could only describe as an attempt at taunting him. Clearly the man forgot that Kazuki was a distant fighter.

With a smirk of his own, Kazuki flicked his wrist and the man's eyes widened when his cheek was cut. He touched the wound, looking at the blood on his fingers. The man did not seem to like that, as he cursed and charged at Kazuki, slashing wildly with his knife. Kazuki avoided each and every attempt, before growing bored after a few seconds and wrapping a string around the man's neck. With another flick of his wrist, the man's head was removed as easily as plucking a petal from a flower.

For a moment, Kazuki wondered only one was sent, when the drug decided to kick in again. He retracted his string, reattached the bell and walked out of the alley. He needed to get home before he passed out. He closing his eyes for a moment, Kazuki inhaled deeply. He glanced back at the alley and a cruel smirk graced his lips. For a moment, he understood why Akabane killed mercilessly and with such gumption.

oOo

End Chapter I.

Thanks for reading! I apologize if there are any mistakes. I wrote the vast majority of this story on no sleep.

Please review!


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